CPM's Anti-Communal Credentials Under Severe Strain in Kerala Assembly Elections
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPM's long-proclaimed 'anti-communal' credentials are undergoing a rigorous stress test during the ongoing Kerala assembly elections. The party finds itself in a complex bind as it attempts to balance its ideological opposition to the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) with the harsh realities of electoral arithmetic, particularly in regaining lost ground among Muslim voters.
Ideological Stance Versus Electoral Compulsions
Historically, the CPM has consistently labeled the SDPI—widely perceived as the political offshoot of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI)—as a fundamentalist and extremist organization. This position was reaffirmed in the resolution of the Party Congress held in Madurai, which explicitly warned against the growing influence of groups like SDPI and Jamaat-e-Islami within Muslim communities across India.
However, on the electoral battlefield, the CPM appears either unwilling or unable to firmly reject support from the SDPI. Despite no public announcement from the SDPI, it has decided to back the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in constituencies where it is not contesting. Notably, the SDPI has publicly extended support to the CPM in the high-profile Nemom constituency, where CPM candidate and Education Minister V Sivankutty is engaged in a fierce battle against BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar.
Strategic Moves and Embarrassing Evasions
Further complicating matters, the SDPI withdrew its candidature in the Mankada constituency of Malappuram, a move widely interpreted as aiding the LDF. Additionally, it refrained from fielding a candidate in Vengara, where the LDF has nominated independent candidate Sabah Kundupuzhakkal, who previously contested with SDPI backing in the 2021 elections.
CPM leaders, including state secretary M V Govindan, have visibly struggled during media interactions to address questions regarding whether the party would reject SDPI support, especially in Nemom. The situation reached an embarrassing climax on Thursday when Govindan, asked if the SDPI is an extremist organization, responded that several factors needed examination before any clarification could be provided.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has similarly avoided direct answers, reiterating the CPM's "consistent stand against both majority and minority communalism" while denying that the party actively sought SDPI backing.
Political Imperatives and Demographic Realities
For the CPM, the political pressures are intense and multifaceted. The party has experienced significant erosion of support among Muslim voters, as evidenced in the last Lok Sabha elections and the December local body polls, where a clear consolidation against the CPM was observed. With Muslims constituting approximately 30 percent of Kerala's population, even tacit support from the SDPI offers a potential electoral and symbolic opportunity to counter perceptions of a complete disconnect with this crucial demographic.
Sources indicate that leaders from both parties engaged in secret talks ahead of the elections, resulting in a carefully calibrated strategy. Under this arrangement, the SDPI would extend support to the CPM while also fielding 32 candidates in select constituencies, aiming to split Muslim votes that might otherwise go to the United Democratic Front (UDF), particularly in Malabar regions.
Risks of Alienation and Measured Responses
However, the CPM cannot openly acknowledge any such understanding, as doing so risks alienating segments of its Hindu and Christian support base, which remain vital to its electoral prospects. On the other side, SDPI leaders have maintained a measured stance. State president CPA Latheef told TOI that the party has decided whom to support and communicated this internally to cadres, opting not to make it public.
"We have a strong organizational network and can communicate our decisions internally," Latheef stated, adding that the broader objective is to defeat the BJP, with support directed toward a single political front. He dismissed notions of strong anti-incumbency against the LDF, arguing that while there may be criticism on specific issues like policing, no negative sentiment exists regarding the government's welfare and development record.
Regarding the CPM fielding Karayi Rajan, an accused in the 2006 murder of NDF worker Mohammed Fazal, in Thalassery, Latheef noted the matter is sub judice.
Civil Society Criticism and Moral Questions
This electoral maneuvering has reignited criticism from civil society voices. Writer and political commentator MN Karassery questioned the CPM's moral position, referencing past instances of political violence involving the SDPI, such as the 2018 murder of SFI leader M Abhimanyu at Maharaja's College over a 'Down with communalism' graffiti.
"Any form of electoral engagement risks legitimizing and mainstreaming the organization. The election will be over on April 9, but the scars inflicted on society will remain forever," Karassery warned, emphasizing that the ruling front must exercise greater caution.
As the Kerala assembly elections progress, the CPM's struggle to reconcile its anti-communal ideology with pragmatic electoral strategies highlights the intricate challenges of coalition politics and identity-based voting patterns in India's diverse democratic landscape.
